Gazelle

FACTSHEET ON MONGOLIAN GAZELLE

Once roaming throughout the entire country from mountainous west to the eastern grassland of Mongolia, gazelle population now resides only in Eastern Mongolia.

Common Name: Mongolian gazelleScientific Name:Procapra gutturosa Population: Over 2 million Mongolian Gazelles now inhabit in Mongolia’s Eastern Steppe. According to population census formula by Milner-Gulland and Lhagvasuren (1998) there were 2-3 million gazelles in 1940-1950s. Population size is decreasing following the last population census of 2000.Distribution: The Northern Gobi, Eastern Gobi, Middle Khalh steppe, eastern Mongolia, and eastern Valley of Great Lake Basin.Conservation Status:
• “Common” of Law on Fauna (2000);
• “endangered” per IUCN Red List (2006),
• Convention on Migratory Species Appendix I.Main threats:
• Poor weather conditions (drought, starvation in winter 2000-2001);
• several infectious disease.
• Steppe fires; human and livestock interference,
• predation by wolves and raptors;
• linear infrastructure.
• Mongolian gazelles are game species hunted mainly for their hide and meat at subsistence as well as commercial harvesting levels.

The plans to reduce threats to the gazelle and its habitat’s biodiversity include: supporting anti-poaching initiatives; introducing sustainable pasture management; supporting alternative livelihood activities in order to reduce pressure on, and competition for, habitat; and expanding the habitat into areas formerly inhabited by Saiga.